The workshop's objectives are: 1) to provide a forum for exchange of ideas among scientists that use domestic species (e.g., cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, fish) as biomedical models, programmatic officials at NIH and USDA, and university administrators; 2) to emphasize the advantages of domestic species as biomedical models; 3) to identify priority research areas that under utilize domestic species as biomedical models, and 4) to explore justification for an interagency program co-funded by the USDA-Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), one or more institutes within the NIH (e.g., NICHD, NIDDK, NCRR), and others (industry) to support research in high priority areas that under utilize domestic species as biomedical models. The workshop will be held October 29-31, 2004, in the Kellogg Center at Michigan State University. The workshop's program includes presentations by 13 scientists funded by the NIH and the USDA-CSREES that use domestic species as biomedical models to study diverse biological problems (functional genomics, cardiology, genome modification, nutrition and obesity, reproduction, pathogen biology, immunology, disease resistance) that impact human health and agriculture. Participants will be limited to 120 and include university administrators, NIH and USDA officials, and animal and medical scientists. Speakers and panel discussants will identify the advantages and address key questions relevant to use of domestic species as biomedical models. All participants will meet to prioritize results and issues raised during the workshop and to develop a plan of action. A summary of the workshop, including issues addressed by speakers and panel discussants, will be prepared and placed on the NIH and the USDA websites. Also, the workshop summary will be used by the organization committee to develop a "white paper" on issues relevant to the importance and enhanced use of domestic species as biomedical models, including whether an RFA to support use of domestic species that are underutilized as biomedical models in high priority areas that impact human health is justified. [unreadable] [unreadable]